January 2, 2019
Catherine “Kitty” Oehmig Stone, known and loved in Chattanooga and on Signal Mountain, died on December 31, 2018. She was 92.
Kitty was born in Chattanooga on May 18, 1926, to Edward West Oehmig and Catherine Wade Newell. Her grandparents were Dr Dunbar Newell and Mary McVea Newell, and William Gallup Oehmig and Ruth Daniel Oehmig.
She was raised on Missionary Ridge and started her education at Missionary Ridge School. She graduated from the Girls Preparatory School and entered Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans, LA. She transferred to and graduated from the University of Chattanooga (now UTC), where she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority.
In November 1952, she married the love of her life, Dr. Harry A. Stone, who predeceased her in death.
Prior to her marriage, Kitty worked as a professional field director for the Girl Scouts. She enjoyed camping activities and developed a love for swimming that she kept for the rest of her life. Her camp name was “Tohee”. Following her marriage, she worked for several years teaching kindergarten at Trinity Woodmore Methodist Church.
Kitty became an active community volunteer, and served on the board of directors of several organizations including The Children’s Home, the local chapter of the Audubon Society, and the Hamilton County Rescue Squad. She was especially proud of being the only female board member of the Chattanooga Air Pollution Control Board, which successfully developed a plan to clean up the polluted air that existed in Chattanooga during the 1960’s and early 1970’s.
She was a member of First Presbyterian Church and cherished her many active years of attendance and service there. She taught children’s Sunday School classes and belonged to a circle study group. In recent years, as her mobility declined, she attended Wayside Presbyterian Church and Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church, and took great joy in the services and the friends she made there.
Kitty drew inspiration from the natural beauty around her and particularly enjoyed flowers of just about every variety and wild song birds. She was an avid gardener and gifted arranger of flowers. It gave her great pleasure to prepare an arrangement as a gift. She could identify many wild birds by their singing, the wood thrush being her favorite.
Kitty enjoyed her social membership in several garden clubs. She also belonged to the Mayflower Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution where she was active for many years.
Kitty is survived by her three loving children: Harry A. Stone, Jr (Leslie) of Salt Lake City, UT (sons, Harry and William), Douglas M. Stone (Joan) of Greensboro, NC (daughters, Martha, Catherine and Frances), and Gertude O. (Trudy) Stone, MD (Stephen Humble, MD) of Nashville, TN (sons James and Stephen).
